Downtown Development Authority of Augusta Proposed Parking Management Plan for the Broad Street Corridor

Current Parking Facts The current supply is 2,150 on-street spaces and 11,792 off-street spaces. Many of the off-street spaces are made up of private surface lots On-street parking is free with a two-hour limit Time limits are enforced by sworn officers and is one of many functions of their job

The fine for an overstayed parking time limit is $20 There is a perception that there is a scarcity of on- street parking There is no real mechanism for citation appeals or collecting outstanding tickets Parking Facts cont.

Parking Consultant Report DDA commissioned a study in April 2005 with Carl Walker, Inc. Goals Baseline our current parking conditions Understand strategies to manage inventory and promote the health of downtown commerce Study area included 15 th Street to Walton Way and 5 th Street to the River Analyzed both on-street and off-street parking conditions

Key Report Findings On-street parking occupancy in the Broad Street Corridor (5 th to 13 th Streets, between Reynolds and Ellis) is 100% at peak times and averages 80% Off-street parking occupancy in the Broad Street Corridor is 37% at peak times On average all day parkers (employees/commuters) consumed 30.4% of the total of on-street spaces and as high as 40% in the Broad Street Corridor ( Busy On-street) Busy On-street) 212 parkers actually parked 6-7 hours

Report Recommendations Enforcement Enforcement of on-street parking policies and restrictions should be examined by the City Off-street parking There is ample off-street capacity to serve present needs of commuters and retail employees

Recommendations cont. Growth As development along Broad Street continues and excess parking capacity is consumed, the site adjacent to and on the west side of the Commons should be considered for development of a parking structure Market The lack of paid parking as a significant part of the market removes many of the normal market dynamics that help manage the parking system

2009 Parking Conditions The following new projects have been approved for Downtown Augusta $38 million Trade & Exhibition Center $25 million Hyatt Place Hotel $67 million Judicial Center $27 million Library $66 million Kroc Center $110 million dollars in new projects on the MCG Campus including the new Dental School.

2009 Parking Conditions Business Growth Significant- For the last three years, downtown Augusta has seen a net gain of 70 new businesses open each year. Growing Residential Population- Downtown apartments are seeing a greater than 95 percent annual occupancy rate. The new JB Whites Building currently has 17 occupied residences with a total of 51 when completed. Future Development Potential developers ( Marion Building) must have sufficient parking as a requirement for project funding.

2009 Conditions cont. Lack of Retail Support The interests of current business owners are not being protected. An on-street parking space generates an estimated $150 to $300 in retail sales each day. Lack of Parking Public perception has become a reality.

Proposed Parking Plan State-of-the-art parking meters will be deployed in the Broad Street Corridor covering 1,000 parking spaces (only half of the on-street inventory) Vehicle detection devices will be deployed to assist in all aspects to measure and monitor the program Enforcement will be Mon-Fri 9:00am-6:00pm excluding federal holidays Rates will be $1.00/hr with a 2hr limit with the exception of the below grade median lots which will have a 4hr limit

Proposed Parking Plan cont. A residential permit program will be implemented Adjudication process provided for parking tickets through an administrative appeals program Public awareness campaign to educate the public on the program Capital for program will be either through private source or SPLOST

Projected Results Maximize the capacity of the existing parking supply through increased turnover/parking utilization Provide convenient on-street parking access to patrons of downtown businesses Reduced cruising for available parking spaces reduces carbon dioxide emissions Promote and provide information about Augusta with highly trained ambassadors A portion of the operating surplus will be used for downtown beautification

Frequently Asked Questions Where will the meters be installed? The plan is to install state-of-the-art meters and pay stations on Broad Street from 13 th to 5 th Street and on 5 th and 13 th Streets from Reynolds to Ellis Street. This will result in 1000 meters or approximately 50 percent of our on-street parking spaces. What will be the days and hours of enforcement? Monday thru Friday from 9:00 am until 6:00 pm excluding federal holidays. What are the proposed rates? We plan to set the rate at the lowest possible level consistent with maintaining 10 to 15 percent availability on each affected block. $1 per hour with a two hour limit for all parallel parking and $1 per hour with a four hour limit in the sunken median lots.

Frequently Asked Questions Will there be any friendly validation programs? New electronic meters are capable of: Merchant validation program (coin tokens) Accepting parking payment via cell phone Using New Smart Card Refunds unused time back onto card! Pre-programmed 5 Minute Grace Period (5 to spare without a care) Multi-space meters can: Provide change Accept credit cards, give receipts Solar powered Accept all types of currency (change and bills)

Frequently Asked Questions How will the meters be funded? The required capital will not be funded by the taxpayer. DDA bonds and/or a private sector partner will provide the funding. What will be the affect on the appearance of the CBD? The plan is to use a blend of single space meters traditionally seen in cities across the US and a multi-space meter in medians and sunken lots. Where will the net proceeds go? Downtown beautification. Funding improvements to sidewalks, alleys, street lighting and landscaping. The public will have input through town hall meetings.

Frequently Asked Questions How will this affect the real estate property in downtown Augusta? In other cities where paid parking has become the norm, property taxes tend to remain lower than cities without paid parking. The revenues generated from this program can be used to keep property taxes from increasing. Additionally, the perception of limited parking will be mitigated by this program which will create an opportunity for market rents. Other cities that utilize paid on-street parking systems: Atlanta, GAAthens, GA Buford, SCCharleston, SC Charlotte, NCDecatur, GA Macon, GASavannah, GA

Frequently Asked Questions Where are residents going to park? A residential permit parking system will be implemented to allow residents to park on the street between certain hours in the evening without having to pay for parking or purchase a decal for a very low annual rate to secure a place in the proposed residential zones. Where will commuters and retail employees park? Convenient options will be provided for long-term monthly parking located in the downtown area. Is there free parking available? Free parking will be available south of Ellis Street.

Frequently Asked Questions How will this program be measured? The program will include information systems designed to provide the DDA with the objective data it needs to assess the programs effectiveness in order to make adjustments and measure its effect on business, residents visitors and employees. What is the proposed timeline for the plan? We envision 3-month planning/deployment phase after the Masters Week.

On-street parking is without question the most valuable asset in any downtown parking system. It is the most visible and should be the most convenient parking available. Its most important function is to provide convenient access to downtown businesses.

Why Move Forward? Jobs Retail Support Revenue Efficiency Information Beautification